


can we play a love song

by liddie



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bubble tea au, Cute Ending, First Meetings, Fluff, Humor, I shall call this, M/M, Pining Lance (Voltron), Pining Shiro (Voltron), shrug emoji i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 10:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15749643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liddie/pseuds/liddie
Summary: Every morning at 5:36 Lance peels himself out of bed with hurculean effort. Stumbling across the room he brushes his hair and teeth, then pulls on a shirt to match whatever color underwear he's got on.Although the routine is fairly new Lance knows exactly how much time he needs before he has to be at his second-story window at 5:45.From here he has the perfect view of HJG. Hot Jogger Guy.





	can we play a love song

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes an idea strikes and I just... ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

* * *

Every morning at 5:36 Lance peels himself out of bed with hurculean effort. Stumbling across the room he brushes his hair and teeth, then pulls on a shirt to match whatever color underwear he's got on.

Although the routine is fairly new Lance knows exactly how much time he needs before he has to be at his second-story window at 5:45.

Flopping down onto the cracked step-stool in front of the window Lance runs a hand through his hair, trying to get it to look effortlessly messy instead of the solid bedhead it really is.

After a few more seconds he gives up and reaches down, grabbing his nephew's fish-shaped watering can that had mysteriously gone missing from his mama's house a few weeks ago. As soon as he sees the familiar figure rounding the corner Lance goes about watering the small succulent and cactus pots lining the edge of his window.

There are seven in total so Lance takes his time, eyes flicking up to watch the approach of the stranger he's dubbed HJG. Hot Jogger Guy.

HJG is a solid eleven out of ten, from his broad chest to his defined calf muscles. His cropped hair is longer in the front, the platinum strands pushed back to reveal large gray eyes.

Like clockwork, HJG jogs down the sidewalk and passes in front of Lance's apartment building at exactly 5:46. Today's outfit consists of black shorts and a sleeveless gray top that leaves a wide gap under his arms. Lance sends up a prayer of thanks when he gets a glimpse of defined abs.

It's going to be a good day.

HJG continues on his way and Lance leans his chin on a palm as he watches, all pretenses of watering his plants gone now that HJG is jogging away from him. And what a sight _that_ is.

Idly Lance wonders about the iPod strapped to the guy's bicep, which is just as much of a mystery as nearly everything else about the guy. Maybe he works out to Beyoncé ? Or is he more of a classic rock kind of guy? _Eye of the Tiger_ would fit him, Lance thinks.

All too soon HJG is rounding the intersection and disappears from sight. Lance sighs after his thirty second fix, setting the watering can back onto the floor and wandering over to flop face first onto the bed.

Only twenty-four hours until he gets to see HJG again.

 

* * *

 

“What's got you in such a good mood?” Pidge mumbles while tying the strings of the uniform apron.

Lance dumps the batch of tapioca pearls into a bucket of sugared water with a sigh. “So, there's this guy...”

“Lance, we've been over this.” Pidge grabs the mug of coffee with extra espresso from the counter. “Colin Firth is never going to show up here and ask you out. You need to face reality and—”

“No, not Colin Firth!” Lance stirs the tapioca pearls a bit aggressively. “This is a real guy, one I've seen outside my apartment.”

Pidge looks skeptical. “As opposed to a fake guy you've seen inside your apartment?”

Poking her head into the backroom Romelle looks between them. “Who's Lance seen outside his apartment?”

“That's what I'm trying to tell you!” Turning to his coworkers Lance makes sure they're listening before he continues. “So there's this guy who jogs down my road every morning like clockwork. He's tall, really well built — like he must go to the gym multiple times a week. But the best thing about him is his smile. It lights up his face, makes him look so...so...” Lance mimes his heart exploding out of his chest, a dopey smile on his face. “Like that.”

Romelle bites her lip to stifle a smile. “So, you've got a crush on him?”

Lance nods quickly and Pidge grabs a stack of plastic cups to restock, disappearing out the door while Lance begins to fill Romelle in on everything he knows about HJG.

 

* * *

 

As he stumbles out of bed, Lance realizes that mornings might not be so bad. If you have something to look forward to, of course.

And Lance does have something to look forward to. A very handsome some _one_.

And sometimes when he's really lucky, HJG will make a pit stop at the small bus stop on the corner and buy a bottle of water from the vending machine. Where he keeps the change for it, Lance doesn't know. But he's usually too wired for what's to come to think too much about it.

Because HJG drinks about half of the bottle and while Lance can't actually see the droplets dripping from his chin, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to bring the image to mind. But that's not the best part.

The second half of the water bottle gets dumped over HJG's head, cooling him down and sending Lance into a cold shower after HJG resumes his run and passes by.

HJG even wears a white top the first time he does it.

Lance is late to work.

 

* * *

 

“Pidge, I want to enact the BFF code for an emergency sleepover.”

Scoffing Pidge stuffs handfuls of brightly colored straws into the container on the counter. “I'm not sleeping over so you can wake me up at the asscrack of dawn to watch some guy jog by your house.”

“Some guy? Some _guy_?!” Lance almost spills the blueberry green tea he's making as he waves his hands around. “He's not just _some guy_ , Pidge. He's all of my hopes and dreams manifested into human form with glorious muscles and a beautiful face.”

Romelle tries to disguise her snort from where she's standing at the register while Pidge makes gagging noises. Lance ignores them both.

“HJG is becoming the best part of my day.” Lance sets the sealed tea on the counter and smiles when the customer takes it and walks away. With no orders at the moment Lance leans his hip on the counter and looks at his coworkers. “Aside from working with you two fine people, of course.” He winks.

Pidge and Romelle roll their eyes. As a family comes to the counter Romelle turns away to take their orders, Pidge nudging past Lance to store the box of extra straws in one of the cupboards.

“I'm still not sleeping over.”  


* * *

  
  
After about two weeks of the morning routine Lance and HJG have their first change of pace.

As per usual, Lance has made his way down the line of potted plants and is watering the third succulent when he glances up at HJG. Only to see HJG looking up at him as he jogs down the sidewalk. Their eyes connect and Lance jerks back. He loses his grip on the watering can, the plastic fish landing on the wooden floor with a _thunk_ and sending water splashing all over his legs and the wall below the window.

By the time he's righted the watering can and gotten himself together HJG is rounding the corner and jogging out of sight. Lance slides to the floor and sits in the puddle of water, leaning against the damp wall with his face flushed red.

Did he remember to brush his hair? Can he tell that Lance is absolutely smitten? Is there a possibility that he's even into guys?

Later that day Lance admits to his coworkers that he has it bad for this guy.

Pidge informs him this is not a new development. Romelle agrees.

Lance spends the rest of his shift creating scenarios on how their first meeting would go.

 

* * *

 

A few days later HJG actually smiles up at him Lance almost knocks the potted plants off the ledge while simultaneously cracking his head on the bottom of the open window. He's a disaster and his head throbs but holy smokes, that _smile!_

Trying to salvage his dignity Lance holds the back of his head and looks out the window, HJG offering him a little wave as he passes. Lance is too stunned to wave back and simply stares after HJG, the fact that he's shirtless today only catching up to Lance after he's disappeared around the corner.

Lance's smile lasts all day, even through three spills, a malfunctioning cash register and two upset customers.

Romelle makes a joke about Lance hitting his head more often and Lance just lets out a dreamy sigh.

 

* * *

 

Two days later is a Monday and Lance is ready. He gets up extra early and washes his moisturizing overnight mask off, takes a shower and picks out an outfit that is one of his favorite 'go to' summer looks. His shorts are soft blue fabric that have tiny sharks dotted all over them and his t-shirt is plain white with a blue collar, but Lance already has a good feeling about today.

“Okay,” Lance tells himself as he sits in front of the window. Wiping the ledge off he rearranges the succulents by size and then type, then a third time by the color of their pot. Checking his phone he reads 5:44 and takes a deep breath. “Today's the day I'm going to make an impression.”

When HJG comes around the corner Lance is so worked up with excitement, but is immediately thrown off because HJG is not alone. As in, there is someone with him. Jogging beside him.

The guy is shorter and overall smaller in size yet equally ripped, although from here it looks like he's sporting a mullet straight out of the 80s. Lance's hopes begin to plummet as they come closer and he sees HJG laugh at something Mullet has said.

A second too late Lance looks away from the two of them and down at the window ledge he's watering instead of the plants. He sneaks a peek and catches Mullet looking away from his general direction, Lance frowning and pushing up from the stool to wander back over to the bed.  
  
It's the first time in a month that Lance hasn't watched HJG's complete circuit of the sidewalk. Letting out a groan Lance flops onto the bed and stares at the pale glow stars stuck up on the ceiling. Dim, just like his hopes.

His favorite outfit collects wrinkles and he's fifteen minutes late to work.

It is, overall, a crappy day.

 

* * *

 

Mullet joins HJG the entire week, much to Lance's dismay. Of course Lance was perfectly happy with their little morning routine and the 'progress' they were making, even if HJG had no idea about it.

But now Mullet is always jogging alongside HJG while Lance halfheartedly waters the wilting cactus and succulents that are beginning to turn slightly yellow. Lance should be happy for HJG, he supposes. If he has someone who makes him happy then who is Lance to want to take that smile from him? It's selfish and unfair.

Looking out the window Lance watches HJG and Mullet turn the corner and head his way. They stop at the vending machine and Lance turns his eyes downward, feeling a little weird about watching them now.

Lance notes that his cactus aren't looking so well. Maybe he should do some research on that.

Glancing up to catch at least a glimpse of HJG's back as he goes Lance is surprised to see them stopped out on the sidewalk in front of his apartment building. HJG is bent over tying his shoe but Mullet is staring directly at Lance. One would even say he was glaring, his thick eyebrows knit and his arms folded across his chest.

At least those ridiculous fingerless gloves are hidden from sight.

HJG notices Mullet's gaze and pops up, shifting to stand in front of him and waving his arms almost comically. Lance can't hear what he's saying but Mullet finally looks away and focuses on HJG, throwing his own hands up in the air and pointing to the window Lance is staring out of.

“Shit,” Lance blurts out and moves away from the window. That was definitely a call-out, wasn't it? Mullet noticed him watching and has put two and two together. Lance has been caught red-handed and now Mullet will get the wrong idea and think he's a creep. He'll tell HJG that he has a stalker and HJG will change his jogging route and Lance will never see him again.

And if Mullet wants to fight him, there's no way Lance would stand a chance against arms like that!

Waiting a good three minutes Lance peeks out the window and sees the street is empty. With a heavy heart he makes his way to the bed and flops down face first.

It's time to give it up.

 

* * *

 

It's been four days since Lance has gotten out of bed to watch HJG pass by. That doesn't mean he hasn't been awake laying in bed at 5:46, he just hasn't gone to the window and looked out.

What's the point, anyway? Wishing on those glow stars didn't help at all.

Lance shakes his head and focuses on the drink he's making. Black tea, honeydew flavor, strawberry bubbles. The drink is completed without much thought and Lance slides it into the machine that seals it, giving the redheaded girl it belongs to a pink straw and a mustered smile.

She offers her thanks and moves along to one of the cafe tables, Lance reading the screen to prepare the next chilled tea beverage for 'Shiro.'

Black tea, sweetened condensed milk, tapioca pearls. A classic among bubble tea orders.

Lance is sliding the plastic cup into the sealing machine and reaching for a straw when he glances up at the counter. A pair of warm gray eyes lock with his own and Lance spills the container of straws all over the floor.

Romelle turns to see what the commotion is about but Lance stares at the customer for a solid thirty seconds, his brain firing blindly as it tries to process what he's seeing. _Who_ he's seeing.

“Hi,” HJG breathes, leaning an elbow on the counter and smiling at Lance. He's not wearing his workout clothes and that throws Lance off because while the loose athletic shorts and sleeveless shirts are breathtaking on this man, the button down short sleeve shirt and dark wash jeans are like a miracle sent from god.

“Lance,” Lance says, individually wrapped straws in seven bright colors pooled at his feet. “I mean, hi!” When he takes too long the sealing machine beeps impatiently. Lance grabs the drink and automatically looks down at the straws. “Crap.”

This was never one of the scenarios he thought up.

“Lance.” The way HJG repeats it softly makes it seem like some treasured secret he's finally figured out. “I haven't seen you around the past few days,” HJG says casually as Lance grabs one of the straws that hasn't fallen from the counter. He hands the drink over and nearly combusts when their fingers brush.

And HJG is acting like they're acquaintances, like Lance watching him out the window isn't weird at all. Almost like he's been looking for Lance in the window himself.

Lance nods because yes, that's true. It's been four long days that he's been laying in bed feeling sorry for himself over someone he didn't really have a chance with in the first place. But HJG had noticed!

“Are your plants okay?” Opening the purple straw HJG smiles politely. With only the counter between them Lance notes that he smells good, like vanilla. “Keith was a little, uh, relieved when we didn't see you watering them.”

Lance is pretty sure he knows who Keith is but he can't help to ask. “Keith?”

“Oh, my best friend. We jog together sometimes.”

Ah, Mullet. Having the name Keith seems like a lateral move, really.  
  
Lance frowns. “He was relieved?”

Poking the straw into the thin plastic HJG smiles in an embarrassed way when some of the tea spills onto the counter. Without hesitation Lance reaches over to wipe it up. “Well, Keith says—”

Mullet appears out of thin air as if summoned like some kind of 80s demon and shoulders Shiro aside. “ _Keith_ says you need to stop watering those cacti and succulents every day because they don't _need_ water every day! They retain water—don't you know anything about desert vegetation?”

That...that was not what Lance was expecting.

“I—I was—”

“You were watering them as an excuse to watch Shiro jog down the street, yes, I'm aware.” Keith takes the cup of watermelon green tea that Lance's coworker sets on the counter. “But now that you've been called out, please, _please_ ,” Keith stresses the word, hand clutching the plastic cup a bit tighter. “Water your plants _only_ once or twice a week. They don't deserve to be drowned because the two of you are too shy to actually speak to each other.”

When Lance glances up he notices that the edges of HJG— _Shiro's_ scar are tinged a deep pink to match the flush of his cheeks. “Keith, that was really rude,” Shiro mutters, cradling his bubble tea as if it might become the next victim of Keith's verbal attacks.

“I don't care,” Keith says flatly, stabbing the straw into his tea and taking a large gulp. “Why should the plants have to suffer?”

“I'm sorry,” Lance blurts out. Mullet may have horrible fashion sense but he's still Shiro's friend and if Lance can't be friends with Shiro's friends, there's no hope for him. “I'll take your advice. I won't water them every day.”

Keith watches him a moment longer before he nods. “Good.” He sucks up a mouthful of tapioca bubbles and swallows them without chewing. Barbaric. “Now you two exchange numbers so I can leave.”

Shiro chokes on a tapioca pearl at Keith's bluntness. Lance's eyes widen. “Why can't you leave before that?”

“Because Shiro is a disaster gay and he'll get lost in your 'dreamy ocean blue eyes,' his words not mine, and then forget to ask for your number.” Leaning his hip against the counter Keith plants himself there to wait, sucking up more tea. “I'm just helping him out. I'm the wingman.”

Lance flicks his gaze to Shiro he sees that his head is tipped downward. When Shiro does lift his head a few seconds later he offers Lance a shy smile, cheeks and the tips of his ears still flushed. “I'm sorry about him.” Keith rolls his eyes but remains silent beside him. “But if you're not interested, you don't have to feel obligated to—”

“Not interested?” A new voice interjects. Romelle laughs, leaning back against the counter and tucking her hands into the pockets of her apron. “You're all Lance has been talking about for we—”

“Haha, okay Romelle! That's quite enough!” Lance pushes his coworker away, face hot. “Oh look, a customer. You should take their order. Because that's your job, you know?”

Romelle and Keith share a look, an unspoken agreement to see this exchange of numbers through before Shiro leaves. It's almost creepy how they seem to understand each other. She turns to Lance and pokes him in the chest. “Give him your number.” Narrowing her eyes at him a second longer Romelle then turns toward the front counter and greets the next customer with a sunny smile. It's a small miracle Pidge is off today.

“I like her,” Keith points out, then rounds his expectant gaze on Shiro. Lance watches the shorter man elbow Shiro impatiently. “Shiro.”

Shiro takes a half step away from Keith and out of elbow range. “You don't have to give me your number,” he tells Lance softly, fingers shifting the straw of his drink back and forth.

“I want to!” Lance blurts out in a rush. “I'm definitely interested, I have been for a while. I think you're really great.” Lance smiles at Shiro, soft and smitten. He ignores Keith's snort. “Do you mind if I just add my number to your phone and then you can text me?” God, does Shiro notice how embarrassingly hopeful he sounds?

A new order pops up on the screen beside the sealing machine but Lance barely glances at it.

Shiro breathes out a sigh of relief, face opening up with a smile. “Yeah, of course.” He hands the sleek black device over and sips his tea as Lance adds his number into a new contact. “I think you're great, too.”

Keith shoves away from the counter with a gagging noise. The woman waiting for her tea gives him a look but Keith ignores her.

“There.” Handing the phone back Lance smiles, then grabs a plastic cup to begin preparing the next order. “You can text me whenever. If I don't answer right away it's because my hands are busy.” He wiggles the cup in the air while adding a heaping scoop of bursting pineapple bubbles and gives Shiro a wink.

In reply Shiro smiles, leaning casually against the counter as he watches Lance finish up the drink. When Lance slides it to the waiting woman with an apologetic smile she simply thanks him and heads for the door. With no more customers waiting on drinks Lance once again turns his undivided attention to Shiro.

Down at the other end of the counter Romelle and Keith watch them with rapt attention. “Do you know what this means?” Keith asks, chewing the end of his red straw.

Romelle nods, leaning on the counter for a better view of Shiro laughing at something Lance has said, his cheeks dusted pink again. “We've progressed from the 'longing from a distance' stage to the 'everything he does is so adorable and I need to share with you' stage.”

Keith nods solemnly. He offers out his hand. “Keith.”

Romelle takes it, giving it a firm shake. “Romelle. It's going to be an honor suffering them with you.”

 

* * *

 

A week later Lance is walking past the shops downtown, fingers laced with Shiro's as they continue their third date. They've just left the small pizza parlor across from the bubble tea shop, both full from the city's best stuffed crust pizza and garlic knots.

Now they're headed toward the old theater a few streets over. The movie showing tonight isn't new but it is one that both Lance and Shiro have seen enough times that they can recite every line.

Shiro pays for their tickets and Lance buys popcorn, arguing that seeing a movie without buttery popcorn is a sin he just can't commit.

They're the only two people in the theater and spend the entire movie whispering the lines to each other.  
  
When Lance turns to offer the next line he finds Shiro looking at him, eyes bright in the dim theater. Shiro leans in and kisses Lance soft and sweet, Lance smiling against his lips as the movie plays on without them.

 

**Author's Note:**

> will I ever stop using utada hikaru lyrics as titles? NOPE!
> 
> you can find me on tumblr - [[kuroshiroganee]](http://kuroshiroganee.tumblr.com/)


End file.
